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Windhoek, Namibia, July 8, 2023: As the four-day Conference of Rectors,
Vice Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP 2023)
ended in Windhoek, Namibia, the conference noted with concern that brain
drain has been one of the greatest challenges facing educational and
other institutions in Africa.
The conference whose theme was “Advancing Excellence in African Higher
Education’’ and under the auspices of Association of African
Universities (AAU), had 16 sessions including the presentations of
summary recommendations from all the sub- themes.
Presenting a jointly authored paper on mobilizing Africans in the
Diaspora to support African Universities, Dr Abdulkarim Oloyede berated
Academics sponsored abroad who are not returning home to give back to
their country.
Oloyede, a Nigeria Diaspora and an Associate Professor with the
University of Ilorin, Nigeria, listed causes of brain drain in Africa to
include instability in African countries, poverty, lack of
infrastructure for research and development and health care, lack of
motivation, future consideration,
commitments, marriage and job offers.
“Educational institutions in Africa need to find a way of dealing with
the situation. Africa needs to address brain drain syndrome in order to
retain skilled workers, boost research capacity and knowledge production
and socio-economic development’’, he stressed.
Other factors according to Acting Director, Centre for Research
Development and in-house Training (CREDIT), University of Ilorin include
challenges of diaspora exchange programs, limited funding, cultural and
contextual differences, limited awareness and engagement, immigration
and visa issues, sustaining long term collaborations, perception and
biases and lack of institutional policy.
Oloyede recommended strengthen collaboration innovative ways, improve
research and innovation ecosystems, develop attractive career
opportunities, address socio economic challenges, diaspora engagement
program, embrace digital technologies through ICT, digital mentoring,
data sharing and collaboration on research, enhance institutional
capacity, establish partnerships as well as establish strong alumni
networks.
“Mobilizing Africans in the diaspora to support African Universities
can bring significant benefits to both the institutions and the broader
development of the continent’’, he submitted.
Contributing to the discussion, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora
Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa emphasized on the
importance of the Diasporas to national development recommending the
Nigeria model with over 17 million in the Diaspora and $22 billion
annual remittances.
Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke through the Commission’s Head of Media and
Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun stressed the need for Africa
countries to have a Commission, Agency or Ministry solely for Diaspora
Affairs to be able to harness the potentials of African Diaspora.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, Secretary -General of
Association of African Universities stressed the need that the
conference had resolved that it will work towards advancing excellence
in all ramifications especially in African higher education using its
human and natural resources.
